The invention relates to a condenser tube cleaner, more particularly, the invention relates to a high pressure device for clearing condenser or heat exchanger tubes.
Heat exchanger and condenser tubes that are subjected to sea water and other concentrated solutions have a great tendency of becoming clogged. Sediments of cement-like substances can foul and plug these tubes. In addition deposits of slime, marine growth, scale, mud, and oil can build up in the tubes. A thin deposit on the condenser tube wall greatly reduces the thermal conductivity through the tube wall, severely inhibiting the efficiency of the heat exchange or condensing operation.
In ships, the condenser tubes become fouled quickly, and should be cleaned as often as necessary. In order to clean the condenser tubes, the power plant must be taken off line. The cleaning operation is normally time consuming. Taking the power plant off line at sea can be very expensive, and creates safety hazards.
Cleaning the condenser tubes is usually conducted by scrubbing the interior of the tubes with a rotating bristle brush, by air lance, or by propelling soft rubber plugs through the tubes with compressed air or water. While these methods may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.